SHICKSHINNY – State troopers said they will mail a summons traffic citation to the driver of a box truck that lost control and slammed into a house on Wednesday.
Court records said Russell Atkins, 84, Lebanon has been cited for driving without a valid inspection.
Atkins told authorities that he lost his brakes and slammed into Joe Baluski’s home while he was sleeping inside.
His neighbor told Newswatch 16 that she’s grateful that no one was killed.
"I realized I had forgotten my kid's car seat on the porch so I went around to get it and then I heard a big bang,” said Stephaine Heller. “He saw me and my kids on the road, you know. It could have easily been us hit if we would have waited a minute or two longer to come out the house. Stuff happens; life is too short to be mad at things."
There were Fabcon signs on the side of the box truck, but the precast concrete company says the vehicle was not theirs.
A company official in Minneapolis told Newswatch 16 that their lease had recently expired, and someone who was driving the truck to have the decals removed lost control and crashed it.
State troopers have not yet said if they will be inspecting the truck or if additional citations or charges might be filed.
